Survey of dental diseases in forensic autopsy cases.

Forensic odontology plays an important role in the age estimation of a corpse. However, some cases exhibit a large margin of error when using conventional morphological methods. The final purpose of this study was to survey dental diseases to find the factors that result in errors in age estimation.

Indication and limitations of using palatal rugae for personal identification in edentulous cases.

To explore the availability and the limitations of using the palatal rugae pattern in forensic practice for personal identification in edentulous cases, we set up an experiment, which involved 48 patients who had both old and new complete dentures and we observed their rugae. First, we made 48 pairs of maxillary casts from their old and new dentures and a further 50 maxillary casts from complete dentures at random, to use as variables. All the initial impressions taken from the mucosal surfaces of complete dentures were made from alginate impression materials, and the maxillary casts were made from hard dental plaster.

Population data of six STR loci using hexaplex PCR amplification and typing system, "Midi-6" in four regional populations in Japan.

The genetic differences of the allele frequency distributions for six STR loci (D20S480, D6S2439, D6S1056, D9S1118, D4S2639, and D17S1290) among regions in Japan were examined using our recently designed hexaplex amplification and typing system, "Midi-6" newly named, to construct a database in the Japanese population. Genotypes at six loci were analyzed in 198, 200, 175, and 196 individuals from the area of Akita, Nagoya, Oita, and Okinawa, respectively, in Japan. The allele frequency distributions were significantly different (p<0.

Pathological demonstration of rapid involvement into the subcutaneous tissue in a case of fatal hydrofluoric acid burns.

We report an autopsy case of a man who suffered accidental chemical burns following exposure to 60% hydrofluoric acid. The extent of the burns covered about 30% of his body surface, and cardiopulmonary arrest occurred about 30min after the exposure. At autopsy, the skin of the affected area showed greenish gray or black coloring with thin circumferential erythema, and this discoloration extended as far as the periosteum of the skull.

Relationship between cardiopulmonary resuscitation and injuries of the cardiac conduction system: pathological features and pathogenesis of such injuries.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence, features, and pathogenesis of microscopic injuries to the cardiac conduction system caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Design: : Prospective study.

Setting: Autopsy unit of the university.

Simple and sensitive determination of free and total morphine in human liver and kidney using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

We developed a reliable, simple and sensitive method to determine free and total morphine in human liver and kidney, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Free morphine or total morphine obtained by acid hydrolysis from 0.2g tissue sample was extracted using an Extrelut NT column with an internal standard, dihydrocodeine, followed by trimethylsilylation.

Fatal hemopericardium caused by retrograde acute abdominal aortic dissection: an autopsy report and morphological consideration.

A case of acute aortic dissection in which entry is formed at the abdominal aorta is unusual. In addition, an autopsy case of cardiac tamponade caused by spontaneous acute retrograde abdominal aortic dissection is extremely rare and such a report has never previously been published to our knowledge. We herein present an autopsy case of sudden unexpected death due to retrograde extension that originated from the abdominal aorta, together with our considerations regarding the etiology and the unfortunate course of the victim.

Two adult cases of congenital atresia of the left coronary ostium-comparison of a sudden death case with a long-term survival case.

We present two extremely rare autopsy cases with atresia of the left coronary ostium. Case 1 was a 34-year-old man who died of sudden cardiac causes with localized acute subendocardial infarction and Case 2 was an 82-year-old woman who died from non-cardiac causes. In both cases, a string-like small left main trunk that was located in its normal position was found; however, the orifice of the left coronary artery was absent in both cases.

Risk factors of sudden death in the Japanese hot bath in the senior population.

A series of experiments were carried out to clarify the cause of death and the risk factors related to sudden death in the Japanese senior population while bathing in a Japanese style "hot bath." The biodynamic changes while bathing were carefully monitored under actual bathing situations occurring in both the winter and summer seasons. We observed double product (DP), total peripheral blood vessel resistance (TPR), cardiac output (CO), and blood vessel compliance (COMP) by measuring blood pressure, heart rate, pulse wave, and electrocardiogram (ECG).

Sudden unexpected death of a 17-year-old male infected with the influenza virus.

We report a case of sudden unexpected death in a 17-year-old male student showing similar clinical background and pathological findings to Reye's syndrome. He was found following cardio-pulmonary arrest in his bed, and was immediately transferred to a hospital. However, resuscitation was not successful.

Radiographic survey of third molar development in relation to chronological age among Japanese juveniles.

The aim of the present study was to establish Japanese reference material on the third molar development of Japanese juveniles for forensic application. Observations were performed on the orthopantomograms of 1282 Japanese patients between the ages of 14.0 and 24.

Comparison of age estimated from degree of racemization of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine in the femur.

Aspartic acid (Asp) is generally used for estimation of age by measuring the degree of racemization. For other amino acids, however, there are few reports regarding the usefulness of the degree of racemization for the estimation of age. Accordingly, in this study using the femur (obtained from 21 cadavers) as the specimen, we measured the degree of racemization of glutamic acid (Glu) and alanine (Ala) along with Asp in the total amino acid (TAA) fraction as well as in acid-insoluble collagen-rich (IC) and acid-soluble peptide (SP) sub-fractions.

Age estimation from aspartic acid racemization of root dentin by internal standard method.

In this study, we investigated the application of the internal standard method to determine age from aspartic acid (Asp) racemization. D-Methionine (D-Met) and D-norleucine (D-Nleu) were tested as internal standards for the purpose of validating the derivatization and gas chromatographic measurements. Using a set of standard amino acids plus the internal standards in constant volume, calibration plots with reasonable linearity (R > 0.

Forensic consideration of death in the bathtub.

About 100-120 cases of 'sudden death in bathroom' are reported every year in our prefecture, which is 8-10% of the total number of what is considered unnatural deaths. For reasons that are still unclear, the victims die while bathing in the bathtub. This baffling form of death occurs mostly in the winter season and 80-% of these are elderly persons.

The examination of mushroom poisonings at Akita University.

In the past 10 years from 1991 to 2000, the number of consultations to the Japan Poison Information Center were 947 concerning mushroom poisonings. However, those from the hospital cases were not analyzed toxicologically. We examined toxicologically 20 cases (35 patients) of mushroom poisonings from 1993 to 2001.

Epitope analysis of human immunoglobulin D with a mouse monoclonal anti-Fab delta chain antibody.

Background: The clinical significance of IgD measurements in serum is limited as the frequency of abnormal concentrations is rare.

Methods: We prepared a mouse monoclonal antibody and a rabbit polyclonal antibody against Fab delta and Fc delta chain and compared epitope recognition by the monoclonal antibody against Fab delta (anti-Fab delta mono) with that by other antibodies.

Results: Anti-Fab delta mono specifically reacted with purified IgD and Fab delta of myelomatous origin, but not with other isotypes and light chains.